Abstract: This present invention relates to an image processing apparatus capable of performing edge preserving smoothing processing with less operations, an image processing method, and a program. The block-histogram calculation unit 113 calculates the number of pixels, as a block histogram, included in each of luminance blocks which are obtained by dividing a luminance image in a spatial direction and a luminance direction. The block-integration value 115 calculates an integration value of luminance values of the pixels included in each of the luminance blocks as a block integration value. The weighted product-sum unit 117 calculates a general-luminance value representing average luminance of an object region to which a pixel being processed belongs using the block integration value, the block histogram, and the luminance value of the pixel being processed. This invention is applicable to digital video cameras.

Abstract: A method and a system are used for determining color value of a pixel for an image processing operation, including steps of: providing a reference depth value representing a level of motion of the pixel; providing a plurality of color values and corresponding depth values of the pixel at a plurality of levels of motion; and selecting a target color value of the pixel among the plurality of color values according to the reference depth value and the plurality of depth values.

Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus may effectively reduce noise in an image which represents an object photographed by a photographing apparatus. The method may include extracting a first low-frequency component and a first high-frequency component from first image data, and applying a noise reduction filter to the first low-frequency component and to the first high-frequency component to obtain a second low-frequency component and a second high-frequency component, respectively. The method may also include obtaining edge data from the second low-frequency component, and amplifying a portion of the second high-frequency component that corresponds to the edge data to obtain a third high-frequency component. The method may further include combining the second low-frequency component with the third high-frequency component to obtain second image data, and controlling the second image data representing the photographed object to be output to at least one of a storage medium and a display unit.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus includes: an image sensing section for sensing an image of a subject; a detector for detecting a luminance of the subject; a compressor for compressing a dynamic range of the subject image; and a controller for controlling a compression characteristic to be used in compressing the dynamic range based on a detection result of the detector.

Abstract: Descriptions are provided of various implementations of an automated tuning process configured to optimize a procedure for post-processing images captured by a camera sensor.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus including an imaging function having an imaging section configured such that a plurality of pixels are arrayed in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, images a subject; a detecting function for detecting whether the imaging apparatus including the imaging section is held vertically or horizontally; a readout function for reading out the pixels information of the plurality of the pixels from the imaging section; a first readout controlling function for controlling a readout process of the pixel information executed by the readout function, in accordance with a detection result from the detecting section; a calculating function for calculating an auto-focus evaluation value in accordance with the pixel information read out by the first readout controlling function; and a focusing function for focusing in accordance with the auto-focus evaluation value calculated by the calculating function.

Abstract: In camera systems with more than one aperture plane, light from different object points can be shaded by either the lens' pupil, the system's aperture or both. depending on pupil and aperture diameters, separation and camera system field of view. In an aperture shading correction (ASC) algorithm, the shading that results from the convolution of the lens' pupil function and its aperture function is determined over the image plane for any given pupil and aperture diameter and separation. A shading correction function is then calculated, and/or its parameters are determined, that will undo the adverse relative illumination degradations that result from the tandem pupil and aperture. This can be done in separate color planes. This can be done in tandem with standard lens shading correction that must also be corrected for (i.e., the lens shading correction (LSC) can be performed in the sensor for the case of no aperture shading, then the ASC multiples the LSC during aperture shading).

Abstract: The method includes deciding a predominant edge direction of an image using edge directions of a plurality of pixels, and sharpening each of the pixels based on the predominant edge direction and the edge directions of the pixels.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for sharpening a digital image captured by a digital imaging device, the method comprising, for each pixel Xm,n of the digital image: a) at an edge detector determining an edge parameter E, the edge parameter E providing an indication of whether the pixel Xm,n is at an edge of the digital image; b) at a noose detector determining a noise parameter ?, the noise parameter ? providing an indication of whether the pixel Xm,n is a noise in the digital image; c) at a scaling module determining a scaling factor ?m,n based on a combination of the edge parameter E and the noise parameter ?; and d) at an image sharpening module applying the scaling factor ?m,n on a pixel by pixel basis to sharpen the digital image to get a sharpened pixel Ym,n.

Abstract: A grayscale image with corrected contours, which is suitably applicable to the art of recognition of objects, is obtained using a grayscale image and a distance image of a subject. The contour of the grayscale image where a grayscale contour image extracted from the grayscale image and a distance contour image extracted from the distance image agree with each other in contour, is corrected to generate the grayscale image with corrected contours. It is possible to highlight or emphasize the boundary of the subject, and a contour correcting process, which is different from the ordinary contour correcting process, can be carried out on a boundary of the subject.

Abstract: The object is to enable picture compositing having a balanced and uniform appearance over the whole image even when performing space-variant image-signal processing. Provided is an image-signal processing apparatus for performing image-signal processing on an input image signal, the image-signal processing apparatus comprising a first signal processing unit for performing first signal processing on the input image signal; a correction-coefficient calculating unit for calculating a first correction coefficient on the basis of the image signal after being subjected to the first signal processing by the first signal processing unit; and a second signal processing unit for performing second signal processing on the input image signal using the first correction coefficient.

Abstract: An image processor extracts a pixel area including a pixel of interest for processing and peripheral pixels located around the pixel of interest from input image data, generates a plurality of pixel groups by dividing pixels in the pixel area based on a pixel value distribution in the pixel area, calculates a pixel group similarity between a pixel group and a pixel group including the pixel of interest for each pixel group for pixels belonging to the pixel group in the pixel area, calculates a pixel value similarity of each pixel in the pixel area based on a pixel value of the pixel of interest, calculates filter coefficients to be applied to pixels in the pixel area based on the pixel group and pixel value similarities, and smooths the pixel value of the pixel of interest based on pixel values in the pixel area and the filter coefficients.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for reducing motion blur in a video signal. The apparatus comprises motion estimation means (1) for providing motion information of a video signal, high pass filter means (3a, 3b) for high pass filtering said video signal, and first modulating means (4a, 4b) for modulating the high pass filtered video signal from said high pass filter means (3a, 3b) with motion information from said motion estimation means (1) and for outputting a motion dependent high pass filtered video signal.

Abstract: An image processing system includes a frequency decomposition unit adapted to decompose an image signal into a high frequency component and a low frequency component, a high frequency separation unit adapted to separate the high frequency component into an invalid component caused by noise and other valid component, a conversion characteristic calculation unit adapted to calculate a conversion characteristic on the basis of the low frequency component, a gradation processing unit adapted to perform a gradation processing on the low frequency component and the valid component on the basis of the calculated conversion characteristic, and a frequency synthesis unit adapted to generate an image signal on which a gradation conversion has been performed by synthesizing the low frequency component on which the gradation conversion has been performed, the valid component on which a gradation conversion has been performed and the invalid component.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is configured as follows. Namely, an image processing apparatus is provided with an imaging device in which a plurality of types of imaging elements having different spectral sensitivities are aligned on a single plane and which obtains a color imaging signal, first edge direction judging unit which judges a direction along which an edge is produced in the color imaging signal based on pixel values of the respective imaging elements, a high-color difference region judging unit which judges a region where the pixel values have a high-color difference, second edge direction judging unit which further judges a direction of the edge, direction dependence smoothing unit which smoothes the pixel values of the respective imaging elements by interpolating them along the direction, and omnidirectional smoothing unit which smoothes the pixel values of the respective imaging elements in all directions based on pixel values of peripheral pixels.

Abstract: Systems and methods of generating depth data using edge detection are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, first image data is received corresponding to a scene recorded by an image capture device at a first focus position at a first distance. Second image data is received corresponding to a second focus position at a second distance that is greater than the first distance. Edge detection generates first edge data corresponding to at least a first portion of the first image data and generates second edge data corresponding to at least a second portion of the second image data. The edge detection detects presence or absence of an edge at each location of the first portion and the second portion to identify each detected edge as a hard or soft edge. Depth data is generated based on the edge data generated for the first and second focus positions.

Abstract: A camera system (100) comprises a plurality of imaging units (190), wherein each imaging unit (190) includes a lens unit (120) and an aperture unit (110), and wherein the apertures (115) of the aperture units (110) have different size during an exposure period. A plurality of images of the same scene are captured at different aperture sizes during an exposure period, wherein the images are shifted versions of the scene and feature different depth-of-field and exposure value ranges. A processing unit (200) applies a high-dynamic resolution and/or a super-resolution method on the basis of the obtained images.

Abstract: A noise canceling circuit that includes a sharp/flat-part determining unit that determines whether a neighborhood of a target pixel in a digital video signal is a sharp part or a flat part by calculating a sharpness value indicating sharpness and an approximate noise value approximately indicating a noise value included in the target pixel based on pixel values of the target pixel and a predetermined number of pixels inputted immediately before and after the target pixel, and comparing the sharpness value and the approximate noise value, a noise extracting unit that extracts the noise value of the target pixel by performing a noise extraction corresponding to a result of the determination performed by the sharp/flat-part determining unit, and a correcting unit that corrects the pixel value of the target pixel by using the extracted noise value of the target pixel.

Abstract: A merged image is generated by merging together a first image obtained by shooting with a reduced exposure time, a second image obtained by shooting with an increased exposure time, and a third image obtained by filtering out a high-frequency component from the first image. Here, a merging ratio at which the second and third images are merged together is determined by use of differential values obtained from the second and third images. Also, a merging ratio at which the first image and the second and third images (a fourth image) are merged together is determined by use of edge intensity values obtained from an image based on the first image.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of obtaining a high-resolution image are provided. The apparatus of obtaining a high-resolution image may generate a high frequency component of an output image using a high frequency component of an input image, synthesize the input image and the generated high frequency component of the output image, and thereby may obtain a sharpness-enhanced high-resolution image.

Abstract: An image processing method that demosaicks a mosaic input image to generate a full color output image. The image processing method calculates both vertical and horizontal luminance-chrominance difference components for each pixel of the mosaic input image. Next, the image processing method calculates an enhanced version of both vertical and horizontal luminance-chrominance difference components for each pixel of the mosaic input image. Then, the image processing method interpolates a G component for each of the original R and B components. Next, the image processing method detects a signal overshoot or undershoot in each interpolated G component and to clamps each interpolated G component with a detected signal overshoot or undershoot to the closest neighboring original G component. Next, the image processing method interpolates missing R and/or B components in each pixel location of the captured image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a line segment detecting unit configured to detect vertical line segments and horizontal line segments in an image; a facing-lines candidate generating unit configured to generate vertical and horizontal facing-lines candidates from the vertical and horizontal line segments, the vertical and horizontal facing-lines candidates being candidates for pairs of facing lines configuring quadrangle areas in the image; a rectangle candidate generating unit configured to generate a plurality of pairs of one of the vertical facing-lines candidates and one of the horizontal facing-lines candidates, and to generate the quadrangle areas as rectangle candidates; and a calculating unit configured to calculate likelihood of each of the rectangle candidates based on a relationship between line segments constituting the vertical facing-lines candidates and the horizontal facing-lines candidates and the rectangle candidates.

Abstract: An image processing method for executing edge enhancement for an original image includes: extracting edge components based upon the original image; correcting the extracted edge components by attenuating the individual edge components so that a frequency distribution related to intensity of the edge components approximates a Gaussian distribution assuming a specific width; and executing edge enhancement for the original image based upon the corrected edge components.

Abstract: A technology for recognizing one or more quadrangles from an input image is disclosed. Edge areas are detected from the input image, lines corresponding to the edge areas are extracted, a line pair selected from the extracted lines is categorized according to a positional relationship between two lines included in the line pair, a line pair evaluation value is calculated for the line pair, a combination of two line pairs is selected, a quadrangle is generated from four lines included in the two line pairs selected, a quadrangle evaluation value is calculated for the quadrangle based on the categories and the line pair evaluation values of the two line pairs forming the quadrangle, and a quadrangle is selected based on the calculated quadrangle evaluation value.

Abstract: A method of image processing includes: providing a radiance map, generating a first image in which an edge part is preserved and a flat part is smoothed by applying an edge preservation smoothing filter to the radiance map, generating a second image having a visually perceivable dynamic range by applying a correction curve to the first image, and generating a display image having corrected lightness by adjusting a hue value and a chroma value of the second image.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image capturing apparatus comprising an image capturing element configured to convert an optical image into an image signal, a signal processing unit configured to apply signal processing to the image signal and to output the processed image signal, a super-resolution processing unit configured to apply, when a still image of the object is to be captured during capturing of a moving image of the object, super-resolution processing for enhancing a resolution by compositing a plurality of image signals output from the signal processing unit, and outputting an image signal required to generate the still image of the object, and an APC correction unit configured to apply APC correction processing for emphasizing an edge of each of the image signal output from the signal processing unit and the image signal output from the super-resolution processing unit, and to output the processed image signal.

Abstract: An image capture sharpening subsystem for a digital camera includes a capture sharpening processor and a memory that stores values for a capture sharpening amount. The values for the capture sharpening amount are a function of position on an image sensor of the digital camera. The capture sharpening processor receives a first value for a pixel in an image captured by the image sensor and a position value for the pixel on the image sensor. The capture sharpening processor determines a pixel sharpening amount from the values for the capture sharpening amount stored in the first memory according to the position value. The capture sharpening processor applies a capture sharpening process to the pixel to provide a second value for the pixel according to the pixel sharpening amount and stores the second value in a second memory that provides a sharpened version of the image captured by the image sensor.

Abstract: An image-processing unit, comprising an exposure conversion circuit, a standard image-setting circuit, a contour extraction circuit, a contour comparison circuit, a final setting circuit, and an image synthesis circuit, is provided. The exposure conversion circuit generates first and second exposure level image data. The standard image-setting circuit sets standard image data. The contour extraction circuit extracts standard and first comparison contours on the basis of the standard image data. The contour comparison circuit detects a first accordance indicator on the basis of the contours. The final setting circuit sets the first conclusive threshold on the basis of the first accordance indicator. The image synthesis circuit generates the rendered image data based on the first conclusive threshold.

Abstract: An image signal subjected to three-dimensional noise reduction processing in a three-dimensional noise reduction processing portion is reduced by an electronic zoom portion, and is stored as a low-resolution image in a frame memory. The image signal stored in the frame memory is enlarged by an electronic zoom portion, and is fed to a three-dimensional noise reduction processing portion; it is then converted into an image signal having the same resolution as an image signal of a high-resolution image inputted from outside.

Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus is disclosed. A peaking signal generation section extracts and amplifies high frequency components contained in an input image signal to generate a peaking signal. An operation section allows a target area for which contour correction is to be performed using the peaking signal to be accepted. A control section generates an area gate signal describing position information corresponding to the designated target area. A mask processing section performs a mask process of outputting an image signal to which the peaking signal has been added to the target area designated through the operation section based on the area gate signal supplied from the control section. A scaling processing section converts pixels of the image signal for which the mask process has been performed is converted at a predetermined scaling ratio.

Abstract: An image processing system including: a CCD which outputs an image signal; an edge extraction unit which extracts an edge signal from the image signal; a false edge estimation unit which estimates an edge signal that arises due to noise components based upon the image signal; an edge correction unit which corrects the edge signal by performing coring processing based upon the edge signal that arises due to noise components; and an edge enhancement unit which performs enhancement processing on the image signal based upon the edge signal thus corrected.

Abstract: Contour extraction circuits extract contour components YE, CbE, and CrE, respectively, from luminance signal Y, and color-difference signals Cb and Cr, respectively. The two contour components CbE and CrE of the color difference signals are inputted to the LUTs respectively, via the selectors respectively, and converted into the adjustment signals K1 and K2, respectively. The multiplier multiplies the contour component YE by the adjustment signal K1 so as to generate the modulated contour component E1. The multiplier multiplies the modulated contour component E1 by the adjustment signal K2 so as to generate the modulated contour component E2. The adder adds the modulated contour component E2 to the luminance signal Y so as to generate the luminance signal Ya, which has been contour-enhanced based on the contour component of the luminance signal and the contour components of the color-difference signals.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging device configured to convert an optical image generated via an optical system to an image signal, an extracting unit configured to extract a characteristic area including a predetermined characteristic from an image which is based on the image signal, an aperture correction unit configured to perform an aperture correction based on an aperture correction characteristic determined for each of predetermined positions on the image based on the image signal, and a controller configured to determine the aperture correction characteristic based on a position of the characteristic area on the image based on the image signal.

Abstract: When a user instructs photographing by operating an operating unit, an image captured by an image sensor is stored as a photographed image in a memory. When a mode for performing color fading correction is set, the CPU instructs an image processing device to extract, from the photographed image, areas in which there are photographic print images which are supposed to bring about color fading. The image processing device generates a binary image by detecting edges of the photographed image, erases edges contacting an outermost edge of the photographed image, and extracts the areas based on the binary image from which some of the edges are erased.

Abstract: An image processing procedure receives mosaic image data and calculates vertical and horizontal-direction color difference components for each pixel. The image processing procedure subsequently selects an R pixel or a B pixel from the mosaic image data, and compares a variation of the vertical-direction color difference component with a variation of the horizontal-direction color difference component with regard to each of at least the selected pixels to detect edge directions of the at least selected pixels. The edge directions thus obtained are collected in an edge direction map, and then the edge directions are compared with the surrounding edge directions to remove edge noise in advance. The image processing procedure refers to the detected edge directions, and interpolates a missing color component in each pixel of the mosaic image data with the settings of one color component in each pixel in the mosaic image data.

Abstract: A method and system for reducing the appearance of jaggies when deinterlacing moving edges in a video processing system are provided. The method may comprise detecting the direction of an angled edge in an interlaced video image to determine a filtering direction to be used for approximating absent pixels in deinterlacing the interlaced video. In detecting the direction of the angled edge, a group of windows of different sizes may be used to look at the edge, where a missing pixel is the center of each of the windows. Detecting the direction of the edge, and therefore the direction of filtering, may comprise: determining the angle associated with the edge, determining the strength of the edge, examining the pixels surrounding the absent pixel, and adjusting the first angle measure and the second angle measure based on the pattern of the surrounding pixels.

Abstract: A digital image processing method is disclosed, which comprises the steps of: (A) capturing a digital image; (B) selecting at least a target pixel within the digital image according to a predetermined rule; (C) performing a first filtering on a graphic region including the target pixel and its neighboring pixels within the digital image, to generate a set of first filtered values; and (D) performing a second filtering on the set of first filtered values to generate a set of second filtered values, and performing a digital image adjustment process on the digital image according to the set of second filtered values.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of providing a sharper image by preventing the deterioration of an image caused by the difference in dynamic ranges of a center part and a surrounding part of the image photographed by an image sensor or by the difference of lens resolution. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an image edge detection apparatus and a method thereof, a sharpness emphasis apparatus and a method thereof, and a recoding medium recorded with a program performing the method can acquire the sharpness and quality of a desired image by detecting an edge of a surrounding part by use of an edge detection filter having a different filter area size and/or a weight of a computed edge value in a center part and the surrounding part, respectively, of the image, and then by giving a weight to the detected edge.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus (30) generating an image with high resolution over a diffraction limit includes an image input unit (101) receiving red image data and green image data, which represent images of an object by red light and green light, respectively, and receiving a blue image data representing an image of the object by blue light having a wavelength shorter than the red and the green light. Further, the image processing apparatus (30) includes an image processing unit (103) correcting the red and the green image data by adding thereon a spatial high frequency component contained in the blue image data, such that the image input unit (101) receives, as the blue image data, image data generated by light receiving elements provided at intervals shorter than a size of a smallest area that the red and the green light can converge.

Abstract: The present invention includes a color converting section carrying out color conversion processing and a coefficient correcting section setting a correcting coefficient group to a coefficient group of the color conversion. The coefficient correcting section sets a local area containing a pixel to be processed, and calculates “feature information of the local area” containing at least one of averaged color information, averaged luminance information, and flatness on the basis of the pixel signals of the local area. The coefficient correcting section determines a correcting coefficient group to be used for the pixel to be processed on the basis of the feature information of the local area. With this construction, the present invention suppresses influence of noise when changing the color conversion processing for each pixel.

Abstract: A method and system for retouching digital images for a motion picture removes semi-transparent artifacts or ‘blotches’ caused by contaminates in the optical path of the camera. This approach provides the benefit of only having to retouch a single average image that is than automatically applied via a correction power map to the entire sequence of images for the affected scene. The formation of an average image tends to reinforce the artifacts making them easier to identify and reduce background detail making it easier to retouch the artifact.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for reducing artifacts in images and video, such as ringing or halo artifacts. The system may include an edge detector and a gain controller. The edge detector may create an edge image used by the gain controller to create a gain image, and the gain image may be used to reduce artifacts in an image. The gain controller may, for a current pixel in the edge image, compute the maximum value of the edge image over a window containing the current pixel. The gain controller may also perform averaging to determine a maximum edge value and a current edge value, and may also use a ratio of the current edge value and the maximum edge value to determine a gain to be applied to a pixel of an image.

Abstract: A method of starting snapping a static scene is applied to a system, which is electrically connected with an image-capturing device and a display device. The display device has a displaying zone for display a visual field of the image-capturing device. After an instruction of setting a block in the displaying zone is received by the system, a skin color coverage percentage of the block is calculated. According to the skin color coverage percentage, the system determines whether the scene within the visual field is stored or not. By the method and system of the present invention, a self-timer function is activated according to the skin color.

Abstract: A digital still camera includes a lens system. A cold mirror separates object light incident on the lens system into a visible light component and an infrared component. A visible light image sensor outputs a first image signal of a visible light image by receiving the visible light component. An infrared light image sensor outputs a second image signal of an infrared image by receiving the infrared component. A contour signal generator extracts a high frequency component from a luminance signal determined according to the second image signal, to produce an edge enhancement signal. An adder adds the edge enhancement signal to a luminance signal determined according to the first image signal. Addition of the edge enhancement signal is adapted to the object light from an object at a far distance. Specifically, the cold mirror reflects the visible light component and transmits the infrared component.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for correcting an edge are provided. The apparatus includes a luminance corrector obtaining a corrected luminance value of a center pixel in a first window of a predetermined size, the first window located at the edge of the input image, by using weights assigned according to a luminance difference between the center pixel and each of a plurality of adjacent pixels in the first window or a predetermined difference of variance (DoV) value representing the degree of uniformity in the luminance between the center pixel and each of the plurality of adjacent pixels; and a chrominance corrector correcting a chrominance value of the edge using weights assigned according to a luminance difference between a center pixel and a plurality of adjacent pixels to the center pixel in a second window of a predetermined size based on the corrected luminance value.

Abstract: A digital photographing apparatus capable of obtaining an image in which a distant subject is clearly represented and a near subject is naturally represented, and a method and program for controlling the same. The digital photographing apparatus includes a range determiner for determining a distance between the digital photographing apparatus and a main subject, an image pickup element for generating image data from incident light, an edge data acquisition unit for obtaining edge data in different degrees of extraction of the edge data based on the distance between the digital photographing apparatus and the main subject which is determined by the range determiner, when obtaining the edge data on edges of a subject from the image data, and an image data modifier for modifying the image data based on the edge data obtained by the edge data acquisition unit.

Abstract: A multi-focal camera apparatus and methods and mediums for generating a focus-free image and an autofocus image using the multi-focal camera apparatus are provided. The multi-focal camera apparatus includes a lens module which comprises a plurality of lenses that concentrate light incident thereupon, and an image-sensor module which comprises a plurality of sensing zones respectively corresponding to the lenses, and obtains a plurality of images by converting beams of light that transmit through the lenses into electrical signals using the sensing zones, wherein the lenses have the same optical properties and are different distances apart from the respective sensing zones.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of capturing images having an optimized quality during night time conditions is provided. The apparatus for capturing images includes an image-capturing unit that captures an light from an object and generates a first digital image, a night-scene-sensing unit sensing whether the first digital image is a night-scene image, an exposure-adjustment unit adjusting an optimized exposure time by comparing an edge level of the night-scene image with that of a pre-generated reference image if it is sensed that the input image is the night-scene image, and a controller controlling the image-capturing unit to generate a second digital image based on the adjusted exposure time.

Abstract: A digital-camera processor receives mono-color digital pixels from an image sensor. Each mono-color pixel is red, blue, or green. The stream of pixels from the sensor has alternating green and red pixels on odd lines, and blue and green pixels on even lines in a Bayer pattern. Each mono-color pixel is white balanced by multiplying with a gain determined in a previous frame and then stored in a line buffer. A horizontal interpolator receives an array of pixels from the line buffer. The horizontal interpolator generates missing color values by interpolation within horizontal lines in the array. The intermediate results from the horizontal interpolator are stored in a column buffer, and represent one column of pixels from the line buffer. A vertical interpolator generates the final RGB value for the pixel in the middle of the column register by vertical interpolation. The RGB values are converted to YUV. The vertical interpolator also generates green values for pixels above and below the middle pixel.

Abstract: A digital-camera processor receives a stream of mono-color pixels in a Bayer pattern from a sensor. Two lines of the pattern are stored in a 2-line buffer. Red, Blue, and Green interpolators receive a 3×3 array of pixels from the 2-line buffer. The interpolators generate missing color values by interpolation. For green, horizontal interpolation is performed for odd lines, while vertical interpolation is performed for even lines. Horizontal and vertical interpolation is thus alternated with alternate lines. Edge detection is performed at the same time as interpolation, on the green pixels from the 2-line buffer. An edge-detection filter is multiplied by the green pixels in the 3×3 array from the 2-line buffer. Different edge-detection filters are used for odd and even lines. These filters are modified to detect edges running perpendicular to the direction of the green interpolation filter. Edges in the same direction as the interpolation filter are ignored.